Once detached, the Phantom II leaves behind a substantial gap in the fuselage, although this does not expose any awkward colours or unsightly structural features. In fact, this provides a good view of the remarkably simple connection method, comprising a reddish brown Technic axle and a single stud. While this seems inadequate, I have found the shuttle remains secure even when the Ghost is inverted. Multiple LEGO Star Wars video games were also developed over time, with the latest installment coming in 2022 and becoming one of the top five best-selling games of the year. Darth Vader’s Executor features a neat buildable display plaque, along with the 40th anniversary Return of the Jedi plaque. A fun feature is the two small regular Star Destroyers attached to the side, which highlights the massive scale of this Super Star Destroyer from Episode VI in comparison to the “regular” Star Destroyer size. The set will arrive in true UCS fashion, featuring a build that is entirely focused on display. There’s no interior to speak of, with a design that will remind builders of the UCS Star Destroyer. Except with nearly 600 more pieces, there’s going to be some more detail. Most of that is going to enter in the form of the red color scheme that the grey ship has, with some mosaic-style Republic insignias giving the Venator its iconic look. But not only that, Admiral Yularen and after almost 10 years a new Captain Rex should be included as Minifigures. Rex is said to be the version from the scene in which his inhibitor chip was removed, the figure is said to have a new head print with patch.

For almost 10 years most Clone Wars fans have been eagerly awaiting a new playscale version of the Republic Gunship. According to the new rumors, we should finally get one this summer! I turned on a video the other day about analyzing the problems of the Millennium Falcon's design, and turned off about halfway through when I realized it was 40 minutes long and that I would have to suffer another 20 minutes of listening to a voice that sounds like it came from Animaniacs' "Please Please Please Please Get A Life" short. The part where the YouTuber began talking about "well anybody with REAL physics knowledge would note the efficiency loss from the Falcon's radial engines" really got me since personally as a senior mechanical engineering student I watch stuff like Star Wars so I don't HAVE to think about real physics for a hot minute!While the inclusion of The Phantom II would be appreciated, the ship already has a set in the form of 75170 The Phantom. The next set that will be coming out sometime in October will be of a Venator Star Destroyer from the animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. This massive set will be a part of LEGO's Ultimate Collector Series and will contain a whopping 5,374 pieces. That set would likely come with Thrawn, of course, but could also include characters such as Captain Pellaeon and maybe even a ysalamiri if Lucasfilm truly goes down the Heir to the Empire route with the show. The torso fares better, especially since printing covers both sides. The mix of white and light bluish grey elements is unexpected, but that looks reasonable too, in my opinion. Moreover, I like the short legs and the 1x1 round tile on top of the head is a welcome addition, representing Chopper's external transmitter.

Looks-wise, LEGO have nailed the Ghost here, and this does look like one of the strongest LEGO Star Wars releases of 2023, so I expect this to be pretty popular! Little is known about next year’s May the Fourth promo beyond its rumoured product number, but we’re hoping the LEGO Star Wars team will follow up 2022’s 40531 Lars Family Homestead Kitchen with another vignette and a brand new character. It’s much more substantial than just a minifigure polybag, after all… 40615 Tusken Raider This 2023 remake of LEGO Ghost & Phantom has a release date of 1 September 2023, which is great timing right after the new Ahsoka TV series premieres on Disney+ on 23 August 2023/ Even though it is not perfectly in scale with the Ghost, the Phantom II is surprisingly compact, measuring just 12cm in length. Also, the model still looks very good, accurately recreating the proportions of the modified Sheathipede-class shuttle and featuring a balanced colour scheme of white and flame yellowish orange to match the source material.Exact details of what this set will include have not been released as of this time, but it was confirmed that it would come with four figurines of Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Chewbacca. 2.) Republic Gunship [75354] LAAT Republic Gunship

Prepare to embark on an intergalactic adventure with the LEGO Star Wars Ghost and Phantom 2, which includes an impressive lineup of minifigures such as General Hera Syndulla, Lt. Beyta, Jacen Syndulla, First Officer Hawkins, and Chopper (C1-10P). It’s been 9 years since the debut of the original 75053 The Ghost, and 6 years since 75170 The Phantom, both of which could be combined, and I think LEGO have done a pretty good job with this 2023 remake. The specific details of what the next LEGO set on this list will be are unknown as of this time, but it was confirmed to be something from the Ahsoka television show. It was also revealed to come with figurines of Morgan Elsbeth, Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, a New Republic pilot with a blue suit, and an Astromech droid with a dark blue and yellow color scheme. This is the first of several upcoming LEGO sets based on the Ahsoka TV series, so hang tight to see if we get other sought-after characters like Ahsoka herself, Sabine and Grand Admiral Thrawn.The interior of 75053 The Ghost was limited due to the size of the set, leaving out the multiple rooms and other spaces within the Star Wars: Rebels ship. In a bigger build of The Ghost, the interior could be expanded. There are no details as of yet on next year’s LEGO Star Wars advent calendar, beyond the fact it exists (no prizes for guessing that one) and that it will apparently contain 320 pieces. That’s nine fewer pieces than 2022’s 75340 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar, so it’s not difficult to believe. 75371 [18+] Another set that will be released on September 1 will be of the fan-favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca. Similar to the full-body sets of Yoda and R2-D2, Chewbacca will just be a 2,320-piece buildable character rather than an actual diorama-style set of a vehicle or a scene from a film. Ghost & Phantom II was revealed to acclaim in July and I have been looking forward to the set more than any other released this summer. Fortunately, the Ghost does not disappoint! The vehicle looks absolutely stunning, featuring an accurate colour combination and wonderful texture across the exterior, substantially improving on 75053 The Ghost. The model also feels very tactile, as every panel is firmly attached. The Ghost was released alongside Star Wars Rebels in 2014 and was well-received at the time. The original model measured 33cm in length and this iteration is only one centimetre longer, although dramatically improves upon the shape of its precursor, as well as the detailing. Of course, such upgrades are expected given the much-increased piece count and price. I will publish a full comparison article soon.